Electronic apparatuses such as computers, projectors, and printers have become indispensable tools for work due to their declining prices and continuously improved performances (e.g., higher computing speed, higher image clarity, etc.). One may even have to use several computers and other electronic apparatuses simultaneously in the workplace. While some electronic apparatuses (e.g., laptop computers) are equipped with batteries for keeping the apparatuses in the working state for a certain period of time, most users tend to plug in such electronic apparatuses so as to extend their operation for as long as desired.
However, floor or wall sockets are always limited in number. Take a conference room for example. When several people gather in a conference room for a meeting, the number of electronic apparatuses to be used often exceeds the fixed number of sockets on the floor or walls of the conference room. Moreover, the power cords of the electronic apparatuses may be too short to be directly connected to the floor or wall sockets. A common solution to the aforesaid problems is to connect a power strip to one of the floor or wall sockets. As a commercially available power strip typically has three to eight sockets, the plugs of the plural electronic apparatuses can be connected to the sockets of the power strip, so as to power the electronic apparatuses via the power strip. According to the observation of the inventor of the present invention, some users would place the power strip on the floor, e.g., under the conference table. In that case, when it is desired to plug the electronic apparatuses into the power strip, the users must go under the table to make the connections, which is very inconvenient. Since the area under the conference table is usually insufficiently lit, it may take a long time to connect the plugs to the power strip, which not only wastes the users' precious time but also causes unnecessary troubles. Furthermore, the users may inadvertently kick the power strip or the plugs under the table such that the plugs come off the power strip. Should this happen, in addition to the inconveniences caused, the electronic apparatuses could be damaged by the sudden power outage, which is highly undesirable.
To prevent the undesirable scenarios described above, most of the conference tables on the market have premade cable holes through which the power cord and plug of a power strip can pass so as to extend under the table and connect to a floor or wall socket, thereby allowing the power strip to be placed on the conference table instead of on the floor. As a result, neither the power strip nor the plugs connected thereto will be kicked by accident, and the plugs of computers, projectors, and other electronic apparatuses on the table can be directly connected to the power strip over the table. Nevertheless, when the power strip is no longer in use, it still occupies certain space on the tabletop, if not making the table untidy.
Hence, the issue to be addressed by the present invention is to overcome the various drawbacks of the existing power strips and design a power strip hanging device and structure whereby a power strip, when not in use, can be rapidly and easily put away under a table without occupying the space on the tabletop, and when desired for use, can be readily taken out from under the table, thus significantly increasing of the convenience of use of the power strip.